Liverpool

Liverpool face Newcastle United, as the Reds aim for a crucial three points in their title race with Manchester City. Eddie Howe's side will pose a stern ...

3rd min: James Milner has to clear a loose ball in his own penalty area early on, and it's Newcastle who have the better of the opening couple of minutes. They've done a good job of making Liverpool uncomfortable when playing out the back, but Liverpool have shown the ability to in behind the press already. The Sporting News is here to bring you live updates from Newcastle vs. Joelinton has done well in midfield for the Magpies. He may continue there, with Almiron and Saint-Maximin as a makeshift front two, or he may be pushed through the middle. 2 hours to KO: Liverpool are in place for Saturday's early kick off, and so are we. 5 mins to KO: The stadium is filling up quickly now, with the last empty seats being taken. Newcastle have responded to the atmosphere well in the last couple of minutes. Newcastle don't like it, but Keita has the ball in the back of the net. The atmosphere is excellent. Krafth manages to divert the ball away, a crucial intervention, before the flag goes up. The visitors have managed to play the game at the tempo they want. He keeps his cool, sidestepping the onrushing Dubravka, and firing home past a crowd of Newcastle bodies on the line.

Follow all the action from St James Park as Newcastle host title contenders Liverpool in Premier League action.

2 2 Newcastle are missing Ryan Fraser, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier but the form of Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin should give Liverpool's back four something to think about. Roberto Firmino remains absent though injury but otherwise the German has a full squad to choose from. This season, Liverpool have equalled the club record for wins in a single campaign (including via a penalty shootout), with the 2-0 victory over Villarreal their 43rd of 2021-22. Salah will be a big miss for the visitors today. - defenders - defenders A lovely one-two sends the Guinean in and he keeps his cool to slot past two defenders with Dubravka stranded. And the VAR room says no dice on Newcastle's complaints. Gooooooooooooo..... Nope, the flag is up! And there's the half-time whistle!

Minute-by-minute report: The title race heads for Tyneside as in-form Newcastle entertain Jürgen Klopp and co.

The weather is wonderful and so is the atmosphere. 2 mins: Saint-Maximin curls in a cross from the left. 6 mins: Liverpool have a free-kick on the left after Jota is fouled. Liverpool, however, have a decent record of their own, having dropped two points in the past 13 matches. 8 mins: Liverpool are getting a foothold in the match after Newcastle’s early pressure. The ball goes out to Keita, who plays a one-two and then goes round Dubravka to whack it into the net from six yards. There’s an intensity to Newcastle, on and off the pitch. Krafth beats Mane to the ball but it does not matter as the flag is raised for offside. The Brazilian decides against playing it long and just knocks it out for a throw-in before Saint-Maximin can dispossess him. Marriner waves play on after a Milner challenge leaves Schar on the deck. Newcastle need to speed things up again in the hope of disrupting Liverpool. The opener - a fine finish from Keita - was thoroughly deserved for the visitors.

Jurgen Klopp's decision to make five changes was vindicated as Naby Keita's first-half finish sent Liverpool to the top of the Premier League.

“If it is a positive sign for the boys, then great, but I don’t think this will be the one decisive thing for whatever decision they have to make. “It was difficult, the only plan they had obviously was long balls to our right side… “I thought Joe Gomez was different class and like Milly (James Milner) said we need everyone in the squad. Sandwiched between those two chances was a rare Newcastle effort on target, when Alisson denied his Brazilian compatriot and Newcastle’s man of the moment Bruno Guimaraes with a comfortable save down to his right. Much to Klopp’s frustration, Liverpool continued to be wasteful in front of goal, with Jota firing straight at Dubravka when a calmer head was required. At the other end, Jota drew a spectacular stop from Dubravka with a powerful header that is quickly becoming his signature move.

As the season is coming to end, Jurgen Klopp's squad depth will become vital, as Liverpool continue on their journey to an historic quadruple.

Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United - Watch: Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United The Reds have incredible backup players around the pitch apart from one area.

Jurgen Klopp's assistant Pep Lijnders knows how dangerous Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip can be for Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta once described the difficulties of defending him, stating: "We tried to put them under as much pressure as we could, but Van Dijk plays a 60-yard pass to Mohamed Salah and they are out. A number of opponents have suffered at the hands of his accuracy. Klopp's assistant captured the threats posed by Van Dijk and Matip, despite their roles in the centre of defence. "It is not a good idea to not put Virgil under pressure because Virgil with time can play," said Lijnders. "It is not a good idea when Joel has time, because he will come in." The Dutch coach is considered as an expert mind in the world of football, and Coaches' Voice recently managed to convince him to open up about Liverpool's methods. He talked about how Liverpool achieve the unthinkable but in doing so, offered an insight into what not to do when playing against them.

Liverpool's Naby Keita's first-half strike was the difference as Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka put in an excellent display to keep the home side in the ...

Sadio Mane squandered another promising Liverpool attack in the 60th minute, pushing his effort wide of the goal after a terrific run from Joe Gomez down the right wing. The midfielder finished off a slick move on 19 minutes, which started with a James Milner challenge on Fabian Schar that Newcastle thought was a foul. Despite Liverpool's dominance, Newcastle looked spritely when they had the ball, and came close to finding an equaliser in the 87th minute when Guimaraes found space on the edge of the box and fired a low shot, but Alisson covered it well and Liverpool held on to secure the three points.

Match report as Naby Keitas first-half goal secures a narrow 1-0 win for Liverpool against Newcastle; Jurgen Klopps side move two points clear of Manchester ...

In a few situations we could have done better, but at this time of the season it’s all about getting that win and moving on. My job is to use the squad when they are available and that's what we do. "The position we’re in, challenging on all fronts, it proves you need a good squad. "Individually I don't think we hit our top levels, which meant collectively we didn't quite hit the levels we have recently. It was a similar story in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Benfica. They’re on fire at the moment so we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. On making five changes for the game: "I don't think about the next game, but I know you cannot ignore that. His energy and intensity is proving invaluable for Liverpool as the season enters a crunch period. But this was just the latest in a run of impressive displays. We’ve just got to keep that mindset going and, in three days, go again." In the heart of defence we were light on bodies. Keita's eye-catching all-round display made him the game's stand-out performer.

Liverpool youngster Harvey Elliott has been highly thought of ever since arriving at Anfield from Fulham in 2019.

Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United - Watch: Liverpool 4-0 Manchester United - Watch: Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal

Liverpool moved above Man City in the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Newcastle. Naby Keïta scored the goal as Jürgen Klopp made five changes.

The fluidity and the understanding, even without Salah, was superb from a Liverpool perspective. Like in attack, the Liverpool midfield was much-changed. That job will not be taken off him next time he's on the field... Gomez will never offer what Liverpool's usual full-back can in attack, but he was solid defensively and did his best going the other way too. And so it proved, with the changes to the Liverpool starting XI not making too much of a difference. The depth in that area of the field is remarkable.